I am a PhD candidate in Brenda McCowan’s lab (https://bmccowanlab.com/) at University of California, Davis and I am looking to hire two volunteer research assistants from India to help collect data on rhesus macaque social behaviour and human-macaque interactions in Shimla, a popular tourist site in North India from May-December 2022.
The R.A.s will join the PhD candidate to collect data on rhesus macaque behaviour, human-macaque interactions as well as plant phenology data for a project exploring macaque between-group behaviour in anthropogenic areas. They will be encouraged to work with us on analysis and co-authoring papers that stem from the data they assist in collecting. Thus, this is an excellent opportunity for candidates who want to gain additional fieldwork experience collecting data on wild animals before embarking on graduate study or future research.
Research assistant duties:
-Identify individuals from 1-2 rhesus macaque groups
-Follow macaques and collect behavioural data for 7-8 hours every day in a predominantly hilly terrain
-Import data from data collection software to laptop after checking for errors daily
-Code certain fast-paced video-recorded data weekly
-Conduct monthly plant phenology surveys
Qualifications/Experience:
The ideal candidate should:
-Be a citizen of India
- Have a background (either at Bachelor's or Masters) in: animal behaviour, anthropology, biology, ecology, zoology, or other related field.
-previous experience in field biology, collecting behavioural data from individually recognized animals
- good observation skills including patience, persistence and attention to detail
- Be able to work outdoors among habituated monkeys for long days in the field in a challenging hilly (often rainy) environment.
- Be reliable, patient, enthusiastic and committed to scientific research.
- Be responsible when handling expensive project field equipment
- Be vaccinated against COVID-19 since we will be working in a tourist site with close proximity to monkeys
Support provided for R.A. position:
Rent for the entirety of the study period will be covered and a per diem amount will be paid for miscellaneous expenses, such as meals. R.A.s will be responsible for travel costs, as well as other out-of-pocket costs. Some other costs such as costs for daily travel to field-site might be covered later, contingent upon additional funding received.
Term of Appointment:
Applicants are expected to commit to the entirety of the project, i.e., 8 months (May-December 2022)
Application Deadline:
This position is open until filled. Applications will be evaluated immediately. We plan to short-list applicants and contact them to schedule Zoom interviews by mid-March and inform them as soon as possible.
Application details:
- a CV
-letter of interest and
-name and contact information for one academic or professional reference
Contact Information:
Bidisha Chakraborty,
PhD candidate,
McCowan Animal Behaviour Lab,
University of California, Davis.
E-mail Address (please mail here for all inquiries):
Best wishes,
Bidisha Chakraborty.